


Alone Above a Raging Sea

by IronPunk



Series: Above the Sea [10]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aquariums, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 14:40:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14107560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronPunk/pseuds/IronPunk
Summary: George has approximately zero cool around dudes he finds attractive so he fidgets and avoids eye contact while Joe fills out his paperwork. He also totally kicks over a stack of magazines because he’s been bouncing his knee up and down erratically.After he cleans up his mess, he makes the mistake of looking up and makes direct eye contact with the guy. Shit. He KNOWS that face. It’s the super hot face of the man who never called him after that one incredible night so he turns his face away. Luz looks sadly down at his own, non-muscular arms, and frowns.





	Alone Above a Raging Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [earlofcardigans (sorelymythtaken)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorelymythtaken/gifts).



> The representations of the men featured in Band of Brothers is based on characterizations in the show and not on the real men. No disrespect is intended.

Joe breaks his arm on a Tuesday afternoon in the Spring.

“Jesus Christ, Joe,” George says as Joe lies prone on the floor. “Are you okay??”

Joe hisses and tries to pull his aching arm to his chest but stops when mind-blowing pain runs through it. “Fuck.”

Luz holds up a baby bottle that had somehow got left on the floor by the goddamned kids' play area while he digs out his walkie-talkie and calls Doc Roe.

“Man down! We’re at the play area. Possible broken arm.”

Roe doesn’t show up, but Kitty Grogan does.

“I was closer,” she explains. “What happened?”

“He slipped on this,” George says, waving the bottle for emphasis.

“I think my Goddamned arm’s broken. Shit,” Joe grumps from the floor.

“Did you hit your back or head too?” Kitty asks.

“My back a bit but I think my arm took the brunt.”

“Ok well let me check both before we move you. To be sure,” Kitty soothes. She checks him over and confirms his arm is probably broken. Luckily he fell mostly on the padded kids' area so nothing else was really hurt.  
  
Kitty procures an arm sling to take some of the pressure off his arm and sends him off to the ER. George volunteers to drive him since most of his work was done for the day and Penkala can take care of the rest with no problem.

Joe is cringing in pain and George oh so carefully tries to avoid the six thousand speedbumps that litter the aquarium’s parking lot so his arm doesn’t get jostled.

“Webster leaves and suddenly you’re injured. He’s going to kill us,” George babbles. “What’re you even doing here?”

“I was leaving him a surprise,” Joe grouses.

“One hell of a surprise,” George says.

“At least it’s my left arm,” Joe says. “Lipton would kill me if I left him to do all the paperwork.”

George rolls his eyes. As if Lip would do anything other than fuss over Joe. Speirs, however, might kill Joe if Lip was staying late to do his paperwork.

George takes in a sharp breath when they get into the emergency room. There at the counter is the hottest guy that Luz has ever seen in person.

George has approximately zero cool around dudes he finds attractive so he fidgets and avoids eye contact while Joe fills out his paperwork. He also totally kicks over a stack of magazines because he’s been bouncing his knee up and down erratically.

After he cleans up his mess, he makes the mistake of looking up and makes direct eye contact with the guy. Shit. He KNOWS that face. It’s the super hot face of the man who never called him after that one incredible night so he turns his face away. Luz looks sadly down at his own, non-muscular arms, and frowns.

Unfortunately, he understands all too well how a guy like that wouldn't want a guy like him, but it still hurts. He’s got his friends and his family but he’s always wanted something more...

He shakes his head and goes back to texting the guys to keep them updated. His friend’s boyfriend was in the hospital. That was more important than George’s feelings.

The next time he looks up the guy is gone and he lets out a sigh of relief.

  
~~~~

 

Because George's life is 100% trash a few days after taking Joe to the ER he sees the same guy when the fire alarm goes off at his apartment.

It's 3 am and he goes outside in his fuzzy pink robe with a cat print blanket around his shoulders. Perconte is next to him stealing the warmth of the blanket when George looks around and notices the same EMT from the ER standing around with no shirt on.

George looks away and hopes the guy didn't see him. Fuck his life.

“Hey,” a rough voice says. “You were with that guy who broke his arm, huh? How's he doing?”

George takes the deepest breath of his life before he answers. “Joe’s doing fine. His ma’s taking care of him for now.”

“Good,” he says. “I just moved to this place. I’m Joe Toye.” He sticks his hand out to George, and then Perconte in turns. George is confused. He’s pretty damned sure this was the guy but maybe he was wrong. He wasn’t THAT drunk but maybe there is more than one supremely hot dude wandering around. Maybe Toye has a twin.

“George Luz,” he says quickly. He’s trying to ignore the look that Toye is giving him.

“Frank Perconte.”

Toye is still looking at George though and it makes George’s stomach flip.

“Hey aren’t you friends with Bill Guarnere?” Perconte asks. Fucking Perco and his goddamn mouth. Of course he knew Toye. Of fucking course.

“Yeah,” Toye says. “How’d you know?”

“I work with Bill and Babe. I've seen you around.”

George zones out while they talk about Bill and Babe and the Philly crew. Apparently, Toye was originally from Philly and knew Bill way back in high school or some shit.

It’s fucking 3 am and his damned life is getting flushed straight down the toilet courtesy of all the children he must have murdered in a previous life.

 

~~~

 

After that, George can’t seem to shake Toye because of course not. George has never had a boyfriend and so, of course, the universe needs to rub his dating failures in his face on the daily.  

George is sitting on their apartment’s balcony, feet up on the railing, reading a book and drinking a beer when he hears someone call his name.

“Hey, George!”

He startles and almost falls off his chair. When he looks up, he sees Toye waving at him from two balconies over. Toye is wearing a tank top and his face is lit _just so_ by the outdoor lights.

George waves back and goes back to his book. Fucking fuck.

After that Toye is everywhere. Laundry room, elevator, at the grocery store. George wants to scream.

He’s so polite to George each time he sees him too. Like George is some non-entity he can say hi to and then ceases to exist once he’s out of sight. Maybe George is projecting his insecurities, just a little, but still.

The worst part is that ever since Perconte opened his big fucking mouth and told Toye he knew Bill, Toye started hanging out with George’s group too. Sometimes Toye would get called into work and George could actually relax again, but usually, George had to maneuver himself away from where Toye was at any given event. He wants to save them both the embarrassment of having Toye remember what happened.

Getting to know him better has actually made him even more attractive because his terrifying outer layer gets dropped and suddenly he’s laughing and being incredibly funny and smart. It’s driving George crazy.

If only they had met at their apartment building BEFORE their one-night stand. Then they could have at least become friends without the incredible awkwardness George felt around him.

They are hanging out at Babe’s apartment to catch a game when everything goes to shit. It’s very reminiscent of the first time they met.

“Hey, could I talk to you for a second?” Toye asks. George startles and almost spills his drink but Toye grabs it just in time. George is making great impressions left and right.

“Yeah, uh, sure,” George says hesitantly. Nothing good can come from this.

“So I uh figured out why you looked so familiar to me,” Toye says.

George can feel a blush overtake his face. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Toye says awkwardly.

George doesn’t know what to say. His friends would shit a brick if they found out he was speechless for once.

“So I know this is awkward,” Toye says suddenly. “But I really like your friends and I want to keep hanging out with them.”

“It's ok,” George says, trying not to flinch. “Don't worry about it.” A guy like Toye has way better prospects than a guy like him. It’s not news to George. It still sucks but George can be a good friend to Toye even if he doesn’t like George. It’s George’s way.  
  
Toye frowns but before he can say anything else Bill barges in and puts a stop to their conversation.  
  
George nods at Toye and flees. Grateful that their idiot friends barging in was finally useful to him.  
  
At least George actually feels better after talking to Toye because they got it out of the way and Toye didn’t laugh at him or anything. George knows people don’t really take him seriously because he’s kind of a dork but he really appreciates not being laughed at for once.

~~~

Joe was a fucking idiot. He could not stop thinking about _that_ guy _._ That funny, handsome guy he never fucking called.

_Joe is at the bar catching the game with a buddy when someone catches his eye. There’s a shorter guy with this gorgeous smile talking a mile a minute with his hands flying all over the place. He’s alive in a way that Joe hasn’t been since even before he was in the military and Joe wants._

_He finds himself alone with the guy at the bar and he goes in for the kill. Leans into his space, touches his arm and tones down his murder face (Bill’s words, not his) so Joe can chat him up._

_The guy is really sweet and flirty so it’s easy to get him out of the bar and to his place. Easy to push him against the wall and kiss him. Easy to get him into bed. Hard to let him leave._

He thought he saw the guy in the emergency room but he couldn’t get a good look at his face. It wouldn’t be the first time Joe thought he saw him but didn't.

Joe really wanted to call George. He was just Joe’s type, but the guy seemed like a flirt and not all that serious. Probably liked to have fun and sleep around not stick by a mean, crippled vet like Joe. Someone who worked weird hours and wasn’t too good at being a friend let alone a boyfriend.

At least that’s what Joe tells himself whenever he reaches over and gently runs his finger along the number hastily scribbled on a post-it note. Joe’s always been the master of breaking his own heart.

Turns out Joe was _the_ luckiest SOB in the world. Not only did he get to see George again after blowing him off but he lived in the same building AND knew Joe’s friends.

It was like the world was setting him up for the rebound and he just… fucked it up again.

“Hey, could I talk to you for a second?” Joe asks George. He really wants to clear the air and make things right.

“Uh, sure,” George says hesitantly.

“So I uh figured out why you looked so familiar to me,” Joe tells him.

There is a cute blush crawling up George’s face and it is very distracting.

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Toye says awkwardly.

George doesn’t respond and Joe panics.

“So I know this is awkward,” he says. “But I really like your friends and I want to keep hanging out with them.” Joe knows immediately after that it was the wrong thing to say.  
  
George’s face drops and he quickly says. “It’s ok. Don’t worry about it.” Like he was expecting rejection and Joe just handed it straight to him. Fuck.  
  
Bill barges in and stops their conversation before he can explain or fix the situation. Joe has never wanted to strangle someone more in his life.

He already knew he fucked up but it still sucks to watch George get quiet around him. Making himself small and keeping himself away from Joe. He doesn’t want to speculate but George probably didn’t have much luck in the dating department. Probably never had someone treat him right.

Joe could do that. Could be that guy. If only he could stop getting in his own way.

~~~

Naturally, the slight peace in George’s life doesn’t last long.

“So you’re acting weird,” Perconte states the second he walks in the door. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this quiet before.”

“Uh,” George says from his position on the couch. “What are you talking about?”

“Hanging out with our friends. Usually, you can’t shut up to save yourself but suddenly you’re mute. Do you not like Joe?” Perconte asks. “Is that what this is all about?”

“Of course I like Joe,” George says absently. “Or I would have left him on the floor of the aquarium.”

Perconte rolls his eyes. “Toye.”

“What about him?”

George receives a harsh pinch in the side. “Ouch. What the fuck?”

“Answer the damned question,” Perconte growls.

“No I don’t dislike him, Jesus,” George grumbles. “Goddamned yenta.”

“Then why do you act so weird around him?”

George glares at the wall. He refuses to answer this bullshit question.

“Oooh,” Perconte says. “I get it now. You LIKE him!”

Perconte sounds a little bit too giddy. Like he’s going to plan their wedding any day now. George has to shut this down before his well-meaning, idiot friend makes things worse for him.

“Remember a while back when I was really moody and you didn’t know why?” George asks.

“And it was a guy who never…” Perconte’s eyes go wide. “Oh shit. Really? That was Toye?”

George nods.

“Shit,” Perconte says again. “What the hell are you going to do?”

George shrugs. “No fucking clue. He talked to me about it but was like ‘oh I like your friends.’ So he’s not into me but he’ll tolerate me so he can steal my friends.”

Perconte looks guilty. “Hey. No. The guys wouldn’t ditch you like that.”

George shakes his head. “Don’t say anything to them. Please.”

“‘Course not. Want me to kick his ass?”

“And then I'll have to tell your ma that you got murdered? No thanks.”

The next one to figure it out is Muck. 

“So what’s up with you and Toye?” Muck asks during game night. They are in the middle of fighting a hoard of zombies and it's probably not the best time to talk about George's feelings. 

“Remember that thing with Malarkey where I was a really good friend and didn’t bring it up?” George asks hysterically as he shoots five zombies in a row out of sheer frustration. 

Muck nods his head solemnly. “Riiight. Act like it’s not happening. Can do, Luz.”

“Mario cart next?”

“Only if we can get pizza.”

They sit there swearing at the game (and each other) until David comes home looking exhausted.

“How’s the motha in law?” Muck drawls.

David gets a pissy look on his face. “Still there.”

“I thought you guys got along?”

“We do,” David agrees. “It’s just that she’s _always_ there. I want to spend time with Joe alone but he won’t say anything and she won’t leave. It’s frustrating.”

“Blue balls,” Muck says knowingly. “The silent killer.”

David frowns, dragging a hand across his face. “It’s not just that. I miss talking to him.”

Muck puts down his controller, gets up, and hugs David.  
  
George can’t even remember the last time he was hugged like that.

~~~

Bill and Fran throw an epic summer pool party that George cannot get out of. Perconte had Bull come into the apartment, pick George up, and carry him to the car. George thought that was a little mean and unnecessary but apparently, the guys miss him a lot. It would be sweet if he wasn’t so fucking annoyed.  
  
“Quit being a baby,” Perco hisses.

George has a smartass comeback right at the tip of his tongue but is distracted by Toye taking his shirt off.

George freezes because his abs look as great as George remembers. Jesus. George looks down and realizes he can’t take off his shirt now. There’s no way he’s going to flaunt his pale body when this bronzed abbed god is around.

“Toye has a prosthetic leg?” Perconte asks out of nowhere.

“Uh apparently?” George says. He had caught a quick look at the sleek metal and matte black but then got distracted by the rest of Toye’s skin on display.

“I thought you two…” Perconte starts. He makes a weird gesture with his arm that he probably thinks means “banged” but just looks deranged.

“Why would I be looking at his legs when his _abs_ look that good?” George asks incredulously.

“You’re an idiot,” Perconte says. “An absolute moron.”

“What why?” George asks. He could probably list more than a few things but he wants to know what Perco is thinking. 

“You don’t think his aversion to dating might be because of that and not because he doesn’t like you?”

George sighs. “Bless your heart for being such a good friend, Frank, but that guy is a hot, smart EMT. He just didn’t want me and that’s fine. He doesn’t _have_ to like me.”

Perconte’s face shifts from incredulity to sadness. “You should talk to him.”

“I already did talk to him. He likes my friends, remember? Not spazoid Luz and his big mouth.” 

“George…” he starts, but George shakes his head.

“It’s ok. I’ll be ok,” George says. “I’ve just got to not make eye contact with him ever again. Or talk to him.” He frowns. “Maybe someone has a brother?”

“A brother they don’t like?” Perconte laughs.

“That’ll do!” George says faux cheerfully. George can’t get a date to save his life so it’ll have to do.

Perco heads off to chat with Penkala and Skip so George is able to sneak off to the side of the house, He needs to pull himself together a bit before he has to socialize again. He startles when he realizes the space is already occupied by Ron, who has two lit cigarettes in his mouth, arms crossed, glaring at the wall.

“Got a light?” he asks desperately, pulling out his emergency cigarettes from his pocket. Well, they used to be used for emergencies but now every day is an emergency with Toye hanging around. Looming and looking smoking hot.

Thank fuck Ron literally will never ask him about his feelings. Just hands him a lighter and stares at nothing. Probably thinking about murder. George is starting to understand the appeal. 

He has about 15 minutes of peace before Toye rounds the corner and startles him.

Ron doesn’t even have an expression on his face but somehow he conveys to Toye that it would be best if he fucked straight off. Toye puts his hands up in surrender and backs away leaving them in peace.

“You are literally my favorite person,” George breathes reverently.  
  
Ron shrugs and goes back to glaring at the wall until Lipton comes to collect him.

After Ron leaves George panics and gets stressed shitfaced. It feels great now, but tomorrow he’s going to slowly remember doing impressions of his friends and dickbags they all knew like Sobel and Dyke.  
  
Jolly Saint Luz was back in action.

~~~

Joe knew he had made a mistake even _before_ he got to know George but now he really understands exactly how much he fucked up.

He thought George was a happy-go-lucky, flighty guy who flirted with anything. He was so so wrong. He can see now that George is like that because he wants to be liked. He needs the feedback so he can be a better friend.

And Joe opened his big mouth and pretty much said he’d put up with George so he could steal his friends. No wonder George has been avoiding him.

George was trying so hard to pretend like everything was ok but it wasn’t and it was all Joe’s damned fault. It was one thing if Joe ruined his own happiness but he’d be damned if he fucked up George’s too.

Joe saw him go around to the side of the house, but he waited to give George some alone time before he intrudes.

When he rounded the corner he saw George, but he also saw the most terrifying man he’d ever seen in his life. Including his commanding officers and drill instructors. He puts his hands up in what he hopes is a placating manner, backs up, and gets the fuck out of there.

Bill tugs him aside once he gets back out to the group.

“How’d it go?”

Joe shakes his head. “Speirs was there.”

“Why do I hear so much about that son of a bitch? He can’t be that bad.”

“He’s not someone to mess with,” Joe says.

“Well neither am I,” Bill grouses. “Are you sure this guy is worth the hassle?”

“I am,” Joe says seriously.

“Well if you’re sure,” Bill says. “I just want you to be happy. You haven’t been too happy lately.”

“Well it’s my own damn fault,” Joe says angrily. “If I had just called him in the first place none of this would have happened.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, ya hear me?” Bill says fiercely.

Joe will probably always be too hard on himself but he appreciates the thought.

~~~

Perconte looks a little too proud of himself when George comes home from work the Wednesday after the pool party.

As soon as George walks in the door he stands up from the couch and makes a ‘tada’ motion with his arms.  
  
“You asked if someone had a brother and someone does,” Perconte says proudly. “He’ll be here to pick you up in an hour.”

“Shit,” George says, looking down at his grubby, fishy work clothes.

“Wear some black pants with that shirt your mom bought you.”

“I see Evelyn has trained you well,” George says. He zips into his room to get his clothes ready before he goes to shower. “You are my favorite.”

“Yeah yeah,” Perconte says. “I bet you say that to all the boys.”  
  
George makes a kissy face and leaves the room to take a shower. He’s showered and looking pretty decent once his date knocks on his door.

It was smart to spring this on George. Otherwise, he’d work himself up and be a mess on the date. Well, more of a mess than usual.

He’s nervous when he opens the door and even more once he opens it to see a classically handsome dude there.

“You must be George,” the guy says. “I’m Floyd Talbert.”

“Nice to meet you,” George says cheerfully. The guy is _handsome_ and apparently very polite unlike most of the people George hung out with. He wonders where Perco found him.

He’s so focused on Floyd that doesn’t notice Toye coming out of the stairway with a deep frown etched on his face.

~~~

It’s the day after his date with Talbert and he’s a bit on edge.  
  
The last thing George expects to see when he’s walking into the penguin exhibit is Toye with an older woman who is more than likely his mom. He sees them through the glass and looks away out of habit. He needs to ignore him. The penguins need his full attention or they’ll steal his walkie-talkie again. They are a handful and George appreciates the hell out of them for it now more than ever.

George never really talked to him about the aquarium but since half of their mutual friends worked there it was inevitable that Toye would end up there eventually.

Luckily George is super busy behind the scenes taking care of the day to day requirements of his waddle of penguins so he doesn’t see Toye again but he sure as hell hears about him.  
  
He apparently made the rounds because George hears all about him throughout the day. _“Have you met Bill’s friend? He’s got tattoos. He’s so cool.”_ Not like boring old George who was only good for a laugh sometimes.

It’s high school all over again and George is just emotionally exhausted from having to think about it.

After the aquarium closes for the public, George sits outside chain smoking with Ron again.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!” George yells dramatically. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck.”

“That bad?” Ron asks.

“Yup,” George says. “Absolutely yes.”

Ron hands him another cigarette in response. Then, after a beat, a small flask he produces from out of nowhere.

After that somehow Ron becomes George’s friend. Well, less of a friend and more of a creepy security guard who pops up out of nowhere and scares the shit out of George by putting a hand on his shoulder. But still.

~~~

  
George is still sort of avoiding his regular crew, but he’s also a good friend so he goes over to Lieb’s house to see how he’s doing.

He’s surprised that Web’s not there, but he meets Mrs. Liebgott. Joe’s scary as fuck because he’s got the face and attitude but man. His mom is terrifying because she’s the kind of lady you don’t want to disappoint.

“I met a very nice young man at the market today,” Mrs. Liebgott says to George. “His name is Joe.”

George looks at Joe pleadingly.

“Not me, pal,” Joe says. Deliberately ignoring George’s sad eyes.

“There are too many Joes,” George grumbles half-heartedly. 

“So you’ll meet him at the little Mexican restaurant by the market tonight? At 7?”

“Um,” George says. He just went on a date with Floyd but he hasn't heard back from him. Would that be going behind his back? George hasn't been on a date with anyone in a while let alone two in a row. 

“Just say yes,” Joe hisses, interrupting George's inner turmoil. He looks like he's going to jab George in the eyes if he says no.

“Yes,” George replies automatically. Having one mom to disappoint is scary enough. 

Mrs. Liebgott pats his cheek. “My Joey has the nicest friends. Such sweet boys.”

George sees Joe glaring at him behind his mom’s back and he keeps his mouth shut. They are by no means sweet boys but they sure as hell have to pretend for her sake or Lieb is going to crack their skulls.   
  
The date is hands down the most painful experience of his life and that's saying a lot given the past few weeks. Joe’s mom done him dirty and he can’t even be mad about it because he knows she meant well. She just didn’t know his entire life was a tragic disaster.

He was running just a teensy bit late so he decided to jog from his car to the restaurant. He’s so busy trying not to make a bad impression that he bumps into someone on accident.

“I’m so sorry,” he blurts out to the person’s back. “I wasn’t…”

“George?” Toye asks, turning around to look at him. “That you?”

 _Shit_ , George thinks. _MOTHERFUCKER._

“Yeah,” he says.

“You wouldn’t happen to be the guy that sweet Mrs. Liebgott set me up with would you?”

“Yeah,” George sighs sadly. He can’t lie for shit so he doesn’t bother trying. “That would be me.”  
  
Toye smirks and George feels so small. As much as he pretended not to want this, a very small part of him was hoping maybe this date could have worked out and now he's a bit crushed. 

“Sorry,” George says automatically. “You probably have better things to do. I can just..”

“Nah,” Toye interrupts. “Let’s get a bite to eat. No harm in that.”

 _Except to my soul,_ George thinks. He’s so so fucked.

Toye is a textbook gentleman on the date. He opens the door for George and leads him inside with a hand on the small of his back. George can feel the heat of Toye's hand through his shirt and it’s intoxicating.

They are led to a small table in the back, quiet and cozy. Perfect for a date.  
  
Toye pulls a chair out for George, and pushes it back in once he sits down.  
  
There is awkward small talk, delicious Mexican food, and probably one too many beers, but George gets through it well enough. That is until they are outside and Toye goes in for what George suspects is a kiss, but he panics and ducks his head. “Sorry. I know we… Before but I don’t really do that usually?”

Toye looks like he’s going to argue, but George keeps going. “I’m really sorry but I think I’m more the boyfriend type? Well, I’d like a boyfriend. I don’t know if anyone would want me as a boyfriend though,” George rambles. “Maybe I’ll get a cat?”

Toye tries to argue again but George shakes his head. Things are already awkward with Toye. He doesn’t want to make them worse because he was thinking with his dick.

“Ok well. Sorry again,” George says. “I’ll see you around.”

~~~

Bill has been acting very weird since Toye came into the picture. Out of all the guys, George knows the Philly crew the least so maybe this is normal for Bill, but George thinks he’s just being mean.

His suspicions are confirmed when he’s at Babe’s to watch another baseball game. He’s getting another drink from the kitchen when Bill suddenly corners him.

“Joe’s my best friend,” Bill says threateningly. Bill is already scary and this low, mean voice makes him straight up terrifying.

“Yes,” George confirms. Was he being tested? Was this a friendship quiz?

“I just want him to be happy.”

George is so confused. What is going on right now? “Okay?”

Bill glares at him and George fidgets unhappily.

Then suddenly Bill is looming over him and George thinks he’s going to die.

“Stop fucking around,” Bill says. George squeaks. He'd like to think it was manly but... It wasn't by a long shot. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” George says helplessly. Does he want George to just stop seeing his friends to avoid Toye? Maybe the politeness was Toye’s way of telling George to just fuck off.  
  
Bill raises his eyebrow.

“He didn’t want to date me, ok? I guess I can stop hanging out with my friends if it makes him uncomfortable. They probably like him more anyway,” George babbles. 

Maybe he should move. There have got to be other aquariums who need penguin specialists or he can just move down to Antarctica where there are fewer people. 

“He's pretty great, right? That's why he only wanted in my pants…” Bill looks shocked, but George is too busy panicking to notice. “My siblings have to like me, right? I can just hang out with them instead...” he trails off as he notices Toye heading over, looking furious.

The one time Toye made George’s life significantly  _less_ awkward instead of _more_ awkward. Thank the lord. 

“Ok well, I’ll go now,” George says. He’s looking down at his shoes. “Sorry.”

When George gets home his face is blotchy from embarrassment and he kinda wants to call his mom. And maybe cry just a little bit.

Between Bill being mean and Toye just being there George ends up avoiding most of his friends. He says no to parties. No to pool games. No to movie nights. He starts hanging out with Ray and Walt instead. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate your company, Luz,” Ray says, “But I’ve seen more of you this week than in the past two months.”

“Uh,” Luz starts. Then he remembers how Ray and Brad got together and maybe Ray would understand. “A really terrifyingly hot guy doesn’t like me and he’s stolen my friends.”

“I one hundred percent understand,” Ray says. “He’s definitely part of the Murder Squad.”

“Murder squad?” George almost doesn’t want to ask. He’s been subjected to a few of Ray’s wool-gathering sessions and they get weird. Then again George is pretty weird, too.

“Bradley. Speirs. Liebgott. Probably that Bill guy,” Ray says as he puts up a finger for each guy. “Murder Squad.”

George shivers.

“Scary, secretly likable, and hot,” Ray says. “You didn’t have a chance. Sorry, pal.”

George sighs. 

"You can hang out with us as long as you want," Ray says cheerfully. "Even if you don't love us as much as you used to."

George sighs again. "You always say no to our invitations," he says grumpily. 

"Ray Ray has to pass his classes or he won't have money to continue school."

"Eugh," George says. 

Ray nods. "Seriously though. Come over whenever." 

"Thanks. I will."

~~~

It actually breaks Joe’s heart to see George walk away from him after their failed not-date.

Someone somewhere along the line really fucked George up and then Joe came along and stuck his big fat foot on the wound and kept pressing.

He felt like such a piece of shit, but he’s been trying to fix it. George is just a little more slippery than the flighty guy Toye thought he was.

He could have fucking killed Bill when he saw him talking to George. George looked like he was going to have a Goddamned panic attack. Bill was going to scare him away and then Joe was going to have to start over again for the second or third damned time. 

Bill ruins his fun by apologizing as soon as he sees Joe walk up.

“Sorry, Joe. I thought he was fucking with you on purpose.”

Joe shakes his head. “He's not that kind of person.”

“I can see that now,” Bill says. “He was going to give up his friends so he won’t hurt your damned feelings.”

Joe puts his hand on his face and sighs. “I don't understand why he thinks I don't like him.”

Bill gives him a _look_.

“Hey,” Joe argues. “I’ve been trying ok?”

Bill continues giving him a _look_. “I think you just need to go for it. Take the direct approach so he can't misunderstand you.” 

"I'm sure he'd find a way," Joe says grumpily, but he starts thinking up a plan. 

~~~

George is walking down the hallway humming softly to himself. He just checked the mail and he’s got the Ducktales theme song stuck in his head. He hears a door open but he thinks nothing of it until he’s tugged into an apartment.

George’s unmanly screech is muffled by a rather large, masculine hand and he has all of two seconds of full terror, convinced he is going to die when Toye crowds him to the wall next to the door he just closed.

“You’re driving me crazy,” Toye says suddenly.  
  
George blinks owlishly. “That’s for sure not the first time I’ve heard that.”

Toye growls and it is so hot.

“Uuuh,” George says stupidly. What the fuck is happening right now?

Toye slaps a hand on the wall behind George’s head. George flinches and Toye immediately backs up, giving him some space.

“You think you can be on the other side of the room and not have me figure you out,” Toye says, voice dangerously low. “As if your friends don’t talk about you like you’re the best thing. The funny, sweet guy they want to set up with all of their gay brothers and friends.”

“Uuuuh,” George says again.

“You think you’re so subtle with those _looks_ you keep shooting me. Respecting my space like some fucking martyr when I wanted you right next to me this whole goddamn time.”

George’s head is spinning. Where the hell did all of this come from?

“I’ve been trying to go slow to give you space, but now I can see that you need the direct approach.” Toye’s voice changes to a low rumble and George’s brain shorts out.

“So,” Toye continues. “Just to be clear. I want to date you. As in boyfriends.”

“Boyfriends?” George asks stupidly.

“Boyfriends,” Toye growls. “I’m not sharing you with any more pretty boys.”

“Uhh,” George says again. His brain is not working at all right now.

“Go get dressed. We’re going out,” Toye demands.

Toye takes him on a proper date that night. They hit the auto museum first because Toye has a love of cars. George doesn't mind because Toye lights up as he explains the differences between the cars and the engines, and George finds it incredibly hot.

“I'm glad I got another chance with you,” Toye says nonchalantly. He's leaning over a plaque on the wall next to an old Triumph motorcycle.

“I honestly never thought I had any chance with you,” George admits.

Toye looks at him and frowns. “There's nothing wrong with you, George.”

“Maybe,” George says. “But compared to you? Pfft.”

“I’m not as great as you think I am,” Toye says seriously. “I’m mean, I’ve got one leg and a shitty work schedule.”

“Maybe mean one-legged EMTs are my thing,” George says. “Got that whole pirate medical thing going for you.”

Toye’s lips quirk up into a rare smile and he slings a casual arm around George’s shoulder.

After the museum, they hit the batting cages. Which is good because George has a lot of pent-up energy to work off.

Unfortunately for George’s libido, Toye slides up behind him in the batting cage. He’s pressed all along George’s back and has his hands all up on George’s.

“I know how to hit,” George says stupidly.

“You’re missing the point, Georgie,” Toye laughs. His hot breath tickles the back of George’s neck and he shivers. “I can finally get my hands all over you so you bet your ass I’m going to take advantage of it.”

“Carry on then,” George breathes. He’s never been so turned on before and Toye’s touches weren’t even anywhere near where he needed them to be.

~~~

After the date, George moves to go back to his apartment but Toye tugs him over to his place.

“C’mon, George. I promise no funny business.”

Once they are inside his apartment, Toye strips down to his boxers and George is fascinated by his leg.

“Do ya wanna touch it?” Toye asks. He's not even remotely shy about his prosthetic and George thinks it's really hot.

Instead of answering, George reaches over and smoothes his hand over the metal part of the leg.

He feels a hand under his chin and he looks up in time to see Toye's warm brown eyes before he feels soft lips pressed against his.

“When we…” Toye trails off. “I thought you were weirded out by my leg because you wouldn’t look at it.”

“Abs,” George states. 

“What?” Toye says.

“I just noticed your abs? And your face?” George shrugs, putting his arms around himself.  
  
Toye laughs. “You’re something else. C’mere.”

He helps take George’s shirt off and George slips his pants off before tugging him down onto the bed.

When George wakes up he’s got a strong arm wrapped around his middle and he can smell fresh coffee.

George groans. “What time is it?”

“8:45.”

“Eugh you’re a morning person aren’t you?” George grumbles.

“Yeah. You'll get used to it.”

“Fuck.”

“Not until later,” Toye says. His voice is even rougher in the morning and George is dead.

“I’m wooing you first, jackass,” Toye clarifies.

“Wooing? What year is it?”

“If you’re a good boy and let me treat you right,” he purrs, running his hand down George's stomach. He stops just before where George needs his hand to go. “I’ll fuck you however you want.”

George shivers. He kind of loves being bossed around. Who knew?


End file.
